Owen Glendower (Owain Glyndwr), last Welsh Prince of Wales The followers of Owen Glendower, the medieval Welsh nationalist leader who disappeared in about 1415, firmly believed that should Wales be in any danger from the English, he would return and free them from oppression. His name is still remembered and revered today. Owen Glyn Dŵr, Owen of the Glen of Dee Water, was thought to have been born in the year 1354, although the exact date is unknown. He claimed descent from Llewelyn the Great and the ruling princes of Wales . He was the heir to two of the four great princely houses of Wales and following his father's death in 1370, received the best education that money could buy in London. He even enjoyed the fashionable 'finishing school' environment provided by the Inns of Court. He went on to serve the English Crown as a soldier against the Scots, and wearing a scarlet flamingo feather as his crest he is said to have bore down on the Scotsmen before him with only the butt of his broken lance!

He married the daughter of an Anglo-Welsh judge, fathering six sons with remarkable speed, and led a very peaceful life on his pleasant estates. It was, however, in the late 1390's that the seeds of rebellion were sown, following a series of disagreements and disputes with the English Crown and Parliament concerning the loss of lands and honour. And so in September, 1400, when he was 50, Owen organised a rebellion against the recently usurping English king, Henry IV and claimed the title, Prince of Wales. His popularity appears to have soared almost overnight with Welsh students, seeing in him the leader they had long been looking for, abandoning their university studies to join him. Welsh labourers threw down their hoes and joined the national uprising. More importantly for Owen, hundreds of seasoned Welsh archers and soldiers, fresh from campaigns in France and Scotland, left English service to join the rebellion. Owen’s forces spread quickly through northeast Wales. Ruthin , Denbigh, Rhuddlan, Flint, Hawarden, Holt, Oswestry and Welshpool fell quickly. Simultaneously, the Tudor brothers from Anglesey launched a guerrilla war against the English.

The Tudors were a prominent Anglesey family and cousins of Owen. Owen's cause continued to grow fast - in 1401, despite English expeditions into north and south Wales his stature grew as a national hero. The whole of northern and central Wales went over to Owain. In 1402 the sighting of a great comet in the sky was taken by Owen's followers to be a sign of victory and they captured Owen's enemy Reginald Grey of Ruthin. Grey was later released on the payment of a ransom of £6,666. Owen was blessed with a sound common sense, and when Edmund Mortimer, the King's nephew was captured, he did not demand a ransom for him, but married him instead to his daughter Catherine. Now Owen was on course for not only the throne of Wales, but for that of England too! Owen continued to fight the English but after the battle at Woodbury Hill near Worcester in 1405 he retreated back to Wales. In Wales, Owen issued the Pennal Manifesto on the future of the Welsh Church which was supported by most of the churchmen. It appears that not all of the churchmen were loyal to the end though.

Prior to the battle of Pwll Melyn in 1406, legend has it that a friar had preached with great spirit that all who fell in the fighting would sup that night in heaven! As it became obvious that defeat for Owen's army was in the wind, the friar tried to slip away, however some soldiers caught him and pointed out to him that he was missing the chance of a heavenly banquet; he smartly informed them that this was one of his fast days, and scurried away to safety. Following this defeat, one by one, Owen's castles surrendered to the English, his wife and children were captured, and by 1410 he had become a hunted outlaw. Despite the substantial rewards being offered, Owen was never captured or betrayed and his place of hiding remains a mystery to this day. Fragments of information about him kept surfacing, until 1416 when he was believed to have died somewhere, possibly on the estate of his daughters' husband in Herefordshire, ironically in England. Like the legend of King Arthur, Welsh legend has it that when Wales is threatened again, he will rise in order to lead the defense of Wales.

The year 2000 saw the 600th anniversary of of the rising and was commemorated throughout Wales. Owen’s personal standard (the quartered arms of Powys and Deheubarth rampant) can now to be seen all over Wales - especially at rugby matches against the English! Owen Glendower Owen Glendower Died: c. 1416 (Age c. 57) Glendower in History Owen Glendower, to this day, is considered to be one of the most mysterious figures in British history, to the point where is almost as legendary as the great King Arthur. It is safe to say that a majority of the information known about Glendower is based upon the events of his rebellion against Henry IV of England rather on facts of his actual life. Certain historians will claim that he was descended by prestigious Welsh families on both sides of his parentage. In his early life, it is believed that he engaged in military activity within Scotland and France and was well-educated, particularly in law.

But, events of Glendower's activities do not truly begin to unfold until he became the leader of the most serious Welsh rebellion since the region had been conquered by King Edward I in 1283, which officially began in 1400. It by no means clear as to what exactly caused the rebellion, but several historical sources claim it was started by a mere property dispute between Glendower and an English nobleman named Reginald Grey. The argument between the two men resulted in the Welsh attacking, on several occasions, Grey's hometown of Ruthin. Soon after, the attacks became more widespread, and the Welsh protested English rule in general, especially under a usurper such as Henry IV (Henry had deposed his cousin, Richard II, the year prior). Glendower and his family may very well have had some sort of connection to Richard II that caused them to show such animosity towards the man who deposed him and, most likely, had him murdered, but to this day, one can only speculate. Henry IV sent troops in an attempt to put down the rebellion, but it could not prevent it from continuing to gather momentum.

By 1402, Glendower (who by this point had been declared Prince of Wales and even had his own currency made) was achieving significant victories and taking a number of important castles and towns. In addition, he was able to capture his old nemesis, Reginald Grey, and ransom him for the large sum of 10,000 marks, providing more funding for the rebellion. An even bigger victory was won when Glendower was able to capture Edmund Mortimer, uncle of the young Earl of March, the boy who Richard II had, apparently, named as his heir, and who was therefore a hefty bargaining tool. Mortimer made peace with the Welsh rebels and even went so far as to marry Glendower's daughter. In 1403, the Percies, under the command of Henry "Hotspur" Percy, rebelled against Henry IV, causing more trouble than the king needed at this point. It is widely believed that Hotspur had been secretly meeting with Glendower for quite some time and that the two were planning on jointly attacking the king's forces.

Unfortunately for the rebels, Henry IV acted swiftly and intercepted Hotspur's army at Shrewsbury, where a battle broke out that saw the death of Hotspur and a victory for the royal army. The loss of such a powerful ally did not deter Glendower in the least, and he continued to wreak havoc in Wales and the marches. 1405 saw another rebellion against the king take place led by Hotspur's father, the Earl of Northumberland (and also included Archbishop Richard Scrope and earl marshal Thomas Mowbray). It is at this point when the supposed Tripartite Indenture was sealed, which would divide the kingdom (after the king's defeat) between Glendower (who would rule over an extended Wales); Northumberland (who would rule England's north); and Mortimer (who would rule over the rest of the country). As luck would have it though, Archbishop Scrope and Mowbray were duped into dismissing their armies, arrested and executed before the rebellion could even officially begin, and Northumberland was forced to go into hiding in Scotland. The Welsh rebellion, however, continued to rage on, and Glendower continued to gain territory.

By 1406, however, the rebellion was starting to, by very small steps, slow down as Prince Hal, Henry IV's eldest son and heir, showed off his brilliant military skills. The rebellion took another hit in 1408 when Northumberland was killed in battle and suffered a further setback when the English retook Harlech from the rebels the following year. At the latter event, a number of Glendower's relatives, including his wife, two of his daughters and several of his grandchildren, were captured; it is believed his son-in-law Mortimer perished during the siege. For the next five years or so, the Welsh continued to threaten, launching occasional guerrilla attacks on English forces, but the rebellion was, for all intents and purposes, over. No one knows exactly what happened to Glendower himself. In 1417, Henry V, who had taken up a policy of reconciliation with his father's enemies, offered him a pardon. Glendower's son accepted but nothing was heard from Glendower himself. It is widely believed that he was dead by this point.

No one knows exactly when, or how, or where the Welsh rebel and self-proclaimed Prince of Wales died, but he unquestionably left a reputation that remains an enigma to this very day, nearly six hundred years later. Glendower in Shakespeare Appears in: Henry IV, Part 1 Owen Glendower may have been portrayed in Richard II (and he was indeed mentioned by name in the play), but we will never know for sure if Shakespeare intended the character labeled simply as a "Welsh Captain" to be Glendower. Whatever the case may be, the captain within the play, believing King Richard to be deceased, informs the Earl of Salisbury that he will be dropping his support for the imperiled monarch, though he seems to do so reluctantly. The character of Owen Glendower within 1 Henry IV, however, is an interesting one to say the very least. Although he appears in only one scene, one gains the knowledge that he is a magician of sorts, who supposedly brought grave portents to earth with him upon his birth. (Note: The Welsh captain seen in Richard II also mention of supernatural events that told of the death of the king, providing some evidence that we were indeed meant to believe that the captain was Glendower himself).

Yet, he also claims to have been brought up in the English court, giving him a sense of sophistication. Within the one scene he appears in, Glendower meets with Hotspur, Worcester and his son-in-law, Edmund Mortimer, to discuss how the kingdom will be divided up after Henry IV's defeat (Hotspur continuously mocks the Welshman throughout, making the scene a semi-comical one). In reality, this Tripartite Indenture did not take place until two years after Hotspur's death at Shrewsbury. It was Hotspur's father, Northumberland, who was a participant. In 2 Henry IV, it is announced that Glendower has died. This blatantly false fact was undoubtedly taken by Shakespeare from Holinshed, who provided the main source for the histories and wrote that Glendower died, destitute and alone, in a cave. Glendower undoubtedly passed away during Henry V's reign, as later historians would discover. The misinformation clearly shows how little was known about the Welshman when Shakespeare was writing these plays. Despite the passage of over four centuries, relatively little has changed on that aspect, and Glendower remains a very enigmatic figure. References Smith, Llinos.

‘Glyn Dŵr , Owain (c.1359–c.1416)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, Sept 2004; online edn, Jan 2008 [ accessed 19 April 2010] Owen Glendower facts, information, pictures | Encyclopedia.com articles about Owen Glendower COPYRIGHT 2004 The Gale Group Inc. Owen Glendower The Welsh national leader Owen Glendower (c. 1359?-c.1415) led Welsh opposition to English rule during the early 1400s. Owen Glendower, also known as Owain ap Gruffydd and Glyndyfrdwy, Lord of Glyndwr and Sycharth, claimed descent from Bleddyn ap Cynvyn and from Llewelyn ap Gruffydd, the last native Prince of Wales. After inheriting estates in Merioneth, Glendower probably studied law at one of the Inns of Court in London. By 1385 he was serving as a squire with King Richard II against the Scots.

Possibly knighted in 1387, he also served the Earl of Arundel under Henry of Lancaster (who became Henry IV in 1399). Glendower headed a Welsh rebellion in 1399, and, after being captured at Flint Castle, he was pardoned, but some of his lands were not restored to him. After an unsuccessful appeal to Parliament, Glendower turned to rebellion and in 1400 took the title of Prince of Wales. As a rebel, Glendower gained considerable support because of agrarian discontent. He and his followers seized south Wales and gained control of Conway, Ruthin, and Hawarden; they also attacked the royal army in the north. In 1402 Glendower was crowned at Machynlleth, and he simultaneously negotiated with the English for peace and with Ireland and Scotland for help. Aided by the weather, Glendower checked the royal forces sent against him, and at Pilleth he captured Reginald de Grey and Sir Edmund de Mortimer. This action paved the way for a treaty with the Mortimers and the Percys for the overthrow of the King.

After his daughter married Mortimer, Glendower released him, and during the next few months he gained control of Carmarthen, Usk, Caerleon, and Newport. This alliance ended with the Battle of Shrewsbury (1403), in which Glendower failed to join the Percys. For the next few years Glendower and his followers controlled Wales; they ravaged the English border, regulated Church appointments, and sent the bishop of St. Asaph as an ambassador to France. Capturing Harlech and Cardiff, Glendower controlled the area west of Worcester, and in 1405 he called for a Welsh Parliament. From 1405 onward, Glendower's power started to decline, and his sons were captured by Prince Henry. Glendower recaptured Carmarthen with the help of the French, but he was defeated in battle in 1406, deserted by his ally the Earl of Northumberland the following year, and then lost Aberystwyth in 1408 and south Wales.

Glendower's wife and several of his relatives were captured by the English in 1413, and although King Henry V made several offers of full pardon in an attempt to calm the border on the eve of his French campaign, Glendower never submitted to the English. Glendower is believed to have died on Sept. 20, 1415, at Monnington, Herefordshire. His sons concluded negotiations with the English the following spring, but the terms of their pardons were less favorable than those that had been offered to Glendower. The main aim of Glendower and his followers was to secure the political and ecclesiastical independence of Wales. They also wanted to preserve the native language and culture of Wales. Further Reading The standard biography of Glendower is Sir John E. Lloyd, Owain Glyn Dwr (Owen Glendower) (1932). Other biographies include Arthur G. Bradley, Owen Glyndwr and the Last Struggle for Welsh Independence (1901), and John D. G. Davies, Owen Glyn Dwr (1934). For general historical background see Ernest F.

Jacob, The Fifteenth Century, 1399-1485 (1961). Additional Sources Davies, R. R., The revolt of Owen Glendower, Oxford, England; New York: Oxford University Press, 1995. Henken, Elissa R., Fulfilling prophecy: Owen Glendower, legend and symbol, Ithaca, N.Y.: Cornell University Press, 1996. Sale, Richard, Owen Glendower's way, London: Hutchinson, 1985. Skidmore, Ian, Owen Glendower, Prince of Wales, Swansea: C. Davies, 1978. Williams, Glanmor, Owen Glendower, Cardiff: University of Wales Press, 1993. □ Cite this article Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography. MLA The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright The Columbia University Press Owen Glendower (glĕn´dou´ər, glĕndou´ər), Welsh Owain Glyndwr, 1359?–1416?, Welsh national leader.

A scion of the princes of Powys, he was also claimant through his mother to the lands of Rhys ap Gruffydd ; he was thus one of the most powerful lords in Wales. After studying law in London and fighting in the English army, he returned to Wales. In 1400 he emerged as the leader of a revolt against English rule. The immediate occasion was a quarrel with his neighbor Lord Grey of Ruthin, an English border baron; but deeper causes of the national upheaval that followed lay in Welsh antagonism toward their English overlords, Welsh resentment of unjust English laws and administration, and widespread economic discontent. Owen, proclaimed (1400) prince of Wales by his followers, kept the revolt against Henry IV of England burning for years. In 1402 he captured Sir Edmund de Mortimer , whose nephew the 5th earl of March had a claim to the English throne, and secured his support. He then allied himself with the discontented Percy family (Sir Henry Percy ; his father, Henry Percy, 1st earl of Northumberland ; and Thomas Percy, earl of Worcester ).

The defeat of the Percys at the battle of Shrewsbury in 1403 (in which Owen did not take part) was only a temporary setback for the Welsh leader. The following year he displayed his skill as a daring guerrilla fighter by capturing the key castles of Aberystwyth and Harlech. He was recognized by Charles VI of France, with whom he made (1404) an alliance, and summoned (1405) his own parliament. However, the failure of an expedition from France on his behalf (1405–6) weakened him, and the recapture by the English of Aberystwyth (1408) and Harlech (1409) left him powerless. He disappeared into the mountains and refused to take advantage of the general amnesty offered by Henry V. See biography by G. Williams (1966).

Cite this article Owain Glyn Dwr | Welsh hero | Britannica.com Alternative Titles: Owain Ap Gruffudd, Owain Glyndwr, Owain Glyndŵr, Owen Glendower Owain Glyn Dwr Ieuan Wyn Jones Owain Glyn Dŵr, also spelled Owen Glendower, Owain Glyndwr, Owain Glyndŵr, or Owain Ap Gruffudd (born c. 1354—died c. 1416), self-proclaimed prince of Wales whose unsuccessful rebellion against England was the last major Welsh attempt to throw off English rule. He became a national hero upon the resurgence of Welsh nationalism in the 19th and 20th centuries. Owain Glyn Dŵr. Hulton Archive/Getty Images A descendant of the princes of Powys, Glyn Dŵr inherited several manors in northern Wales. He studied law in London and then served with the forces of Henry Bolingbroke (afterward King Henry IV ), an opponent of King Richard II . When he returned to Wales, he found that England’s oppressive rule had crippled the Welsh economy and aroused popular resentment.

In September 1400, a year after Bolingbroke usurped the throne, Glyn Dŵr’s violent feud with a neighbour, Reynold, Lord Grey of Ruthin, touched off an uprising in northern Wales. The insurgency quickly became a national struggle for Welsh independence. Glyn Dŵr formed an alliance with Henry’s most powerful opponents, and by 1404 he had control of most of Wales. Styling himself prince of Wales , he established an independent Welsh Parliament and began to formulate his own foreign and ecclesiastical policies. In 1405, however, the tide of battle turned against him. He was twice defeated by Henry IV’s son, Prince Henry (later King Henry V ), and his allies in England were crushed. Reinforcements sent by France could not save his cause. By 1408–09 Prince Henry had captured Glyn Dŵr’s main strongholds, but the rebel was active in guerrilla fighting as late as 1412. Learn More in these related articles: Owen Glendower Facts ADD TO WORD LIST Owen Glendower Facts The Welsh national leader Owen Glendower (c.

1359?-c.1415) led Welsh opposition to English rule during the early 1400s. Owen Glendower, also known as Owain ap Gruffydd and Glyndyfrdwy, Lord of Glyndwr and Sycharth, claimed descent from Bleddyn ap Cynvyn and from Llewelyn ap Gruffydd, the last native Prince of Wales. After inheriting estates in Merioneth, Glendower probably studied law at one of the Inns of Court in London. By 1385 he was serving as a squire with King Richard II against the Scots. Possibly knighted in 1387, he also served the Earl of Arundel under Henry of Lancaster (who became Henry IV in 1399). Glendower headed a Welsh rebellion in 1399, and, after being captured at Flint Castle, he was pardoned, but some of his lands were not restored to him. After an unsuccessful appeal to Parliament, Glendower turned to rebellion and in 1400 took the title of Prince of Wales. As a rebel, Glendower gained considerable support because of agrarian discontent.

He and his followers seized south Wales and gained control of Conway, Ruthin, and Hawarden; they also attacked the royal army in the north. In 1402 Glendower was crowned at Machynlleth, and he simultaneously negotiated with the English for peace and with Ireland and Scotland for help. Aided by the weather, Glendower checked the royal forces sent against him, and at Pilleth he captured Reginald de Grey and Sir Edmund de Mortimer. This action paved the way for a treaty with the Mortimers and the Percys for the overthrow of the King. After his daughter married Mortimer, Glendower released him, and during the next few months he gained control of Carmarthen, Usk, Caerleon, and Newport. This alliance ended with the Battle of Shrewsbury (1403), in which Glendower failed to join the Percys. For the next few years Glendower and his followers controlled Wales; they ravaged the English border, regulated Church appointments, and sent the bishop of St. Asaph as an ambassador to France.

Capturing Harlech and Cardiff, Glendower controlled the area west of Worcester, and in 1405 he called for a Welsh Parliament. From 1405 onward, Glendower's power started to decline, and his sons were captured by Prince Henry. Glendower recaptured Carmarthen with the help of the French, but he was defeated in battle in 1406, deserted by his ally the Earl of Northumberland the following year, and then lost Aberystwyth in 1408 and south Wales. Glendower's wife and several of his relatives were captured by the English in 1413, and although King Henry V made several offers of full pardon in an attempt to calm the border on the eve of his French campaign, Glendower never submitted to the English. Glendower is believed to have died on Sept. 20, 1415, at Monnington, Herefordshire. His sons concluded negotiations with the English the following spring, but the terms of their pardons were less favorable than those that had been offered to Glendower.

The main aim of Glendower and his followers was to secure the political and ecclesiastical independence of Wales. They also wanted to preserve the native language and culture of Wales. Further Reading on Owen Glendower The standard biography of Glendower is Sir John E. Lloyd, Owain Glyn Dwr (Owen Glendower) (1932). Other biographies include Arthur G. Bradley, Owen Glyndwr and the Last Struggle for Welsh Independence (1901), and John D. G. Davies, Owen Glyn Dwr (1934). For general historical background see Ernest F. Jacob, The Fifteenth Century, 1399-1485 (1961). Additional Biography Sources Davies, R. R., The revolt of Owen Glendower, Oxford, England; New York: Oxford University Press, 1995. Henken, Elissa R., Fulfilling prophecy: Owen Glendower, legend and symbol, Ithaca, N.Y.: Cornell University Press, 1996. Sale, Richard, Owen Glendower's way, London: Hutchinson, 1985.

Skidmore, Ian, Owen Glendower, Prince of Wales, Swansea: C. Davies, 1978. Williams, Glanmor, Owen Glendower, Cardiff: University of Wales Press, 1993. Owen Glendower - Biography Owen Glendower Death Date: September 20, 1415 Place of Birth: Gender: Male Occupations: leader The Welsh national leader Owen Glendower (ca. 1359-ca.1415) led Welsh opposition to English rule during the early 1400s. Owen Glendower, also known as Owain ap Gruffydd and Glyndyfrdwy, Lord of Glyndwr and Sycharth, claimed descent from Bleddyn ap Cynvyn and from Llewelyn ap Gruffydd, the last native Prince of Wales. After inheriting estates in Merioneth, Glendower probably studied law at one of the Inns of Court in London. By 1385 he was serving as a squire with King Richard II against the Scots.

Possibly knighted in 1387, he also served the Earl of Arundel under Henry of Lancaster (who became Henry IV in 1399). Glendower headed a Welsh rebellion in 1399, and, after being captured at Flint Castle, he was pardoned, but some of his lands were not restored to him. After an unsuccessful appeal to Parliament, Glendower turned to rebellion and in 1400 took the title of Prince of Wales. As a rebel, Glendower gained considerable support because of agrarian discontent. He and his followers seized south Wales and gained control of Conway, Ruthin, and Hawarden; they also attacked the royal army in the north. In 1402 Glendower was crowned at Machynlleth, and he simultaneously negotiated with the English for peace and with Ireland and Scotland for help. Aided by the weather, Glendower checked the royal forces sent against him, and at Pilleth he captured Reginald de Grey and Sir Edmund de Mortimer. This action paved the way for a treaty with the Mortimers and the Percys for the overthrow of the King.

After his daughter married Mortimer, Glendower released him, and during the next few months he gained control of Carmarthen, Usk, Caerleon, and Newport. This alliance ended with the Battle of Shrewsbury (1403), in which Glendower failed to join the Percys. For the next few years Glendower and his followers controlled Wales; they ravaged the English border, regulated Church appointments, and sent the bishop of St. Asaph as an ambassador to France. Capturing Harlech and Cardiff, Glendower controlled the area west of Worcester, and in 1405 he called for a Welsh Parliament. From 1405 onward, Glendower's power started to decline, and his sons were captured by Prince Henry. Glendower recaptured Carmarthen with the help of the French, but he was defeated in battle in 1406, deserted by his ally the Earl of Northumberland the following year, and then lost Aberystwyth in 1408 and south Wales.

Glendower's wife and several of his relatives were captured by the English in 1413, and although King Henry V made several offers of full pardon in an attempt to calm the border on the eve of his French campaign, Glendower never submitted to the English. Glendower is believed to have died on Sept. 20, 1415, at Monnington, Herefordshire. His sons concluded negotiations with the English the following spring, but the terms of their pardons were less favorable than those that had been offered to Glendower. The main aim of Glendower and his followers was to secure the political and ecclesiastical independence of Wales. They also wanted to preserve the native language and culture of Wales. Further Reading The standard biography of Glendower is Sir John E. Lloyd, Owain Glyn Dwr (Owen Glendower) (1932). Other biographies include Arthur G. Bradley, Owen Glyndwr and the Last Struggle for Welsh Independence (1901), and John D. G. Davies, Owen Glyn Dwr (1934). For general historical background see Ernest F.

Jacob, The Fifteenth Century, 1399-1485 (1961). Davies, R. R., The revolt of Owen Glendower, Oxford, England; New York: Oxford University Press, 1995. Henken, Elissa R., Fulfilling prophecy: Owen Glendower, legend and symbol, Ithaca, N.Y.: Cornell University Press, 1996. Sale, Richard, Owen Glendower's way, London: Hutchinson, 1985. Skidmore, Ian, Owen Glendower, Prince of Wales, Swansea: C. Davies, 1978. Williams, Glanmor, Owen Glendower, Cardiff: University of Wales Press, 1993. Need a custom written paper? Let our professional writers save your time. Not a member yet?

Luminarium Encyclopedia: Owen Glendower (c.1359-1415) [Glyn Dwr, Glyndwr, Prince of Wales; Welsh Rebel Hero] Search OWEN GLENDOWER, the last to claim the title of an independent prince of Wales, more correctly described as Owain ab Gruffydd, lord of Glyndyvrdwy in Merioneth, was a man of good family, with two great houses, Sycharth and Glyndyvrdwy in the north, besides smaller estates in south Wales. His father was called Gruffydd Vychan, and his mother Helen; on both sides he had pretensions to be descended from the old Welsh princes. Owen was probably born about 1359, studied law at Westminster, was squire to the Earl of Arundel, and a witness for Grosvenor in the famous Scrope and Grosvenor lawsuit in 1386. Afterwards he was in the service of Henry of Bolingbroke , the future king, though by an error it has been commonly stated that he was squire to Richard II .

Welsh sympathies were, however, on Richard's side, and combined with a personal quarrel to make Owen the leader of a national revolt. The lords of Glyndyvrdwy had an ancient feud with their English neighbours, the Greys of Ruthin. Reginald Grey neglected to summon Owen, as was his duty, for the Scottish expedition of 1400, and then charged him with treason for failing to appear. Owen thereupon took up arms, and when Henry IV returned from Scotland in September he found north Wales ablaze. A hurried campaign under the king's personal command was ineffectual. Owen's estates were declared forfeit and vigorous measures threatened by the English government. Still the revolt gathered strength. In the spring of 1401 Owen was raiding in south Wales, and credited with the intention of invading England. A second campaign by the king in the autumn was defeated, like that of the previous year, through bad weather and the Fabian tactics of the Welsh. Owen had already been intriguing with Henry Percy (Hotspur) , who during 1401 held command in north Wales, and with Percy's brother-in-law, Sir Edmund Mortimer.

During the winter of 1401-1402 his plans were further extended to negotiations with the rebel Irish, the Scots and the French. In the spring he had grown so strong that he attacked Ruthin, and took Grey prisoner. In the summer he defeated the men of Hereford under Edmund Mortimer at Pilleth, near Brynglas, in Radnorshire. Mortimer was taken prisoner and treated with such friendliness as to make the English doubt his loyalty; within a few months he married Owen's daughter. In the autumn the English king was for the third time driven "bootless home and weatherbeaten back." The few English strongholds left in Wales were now hard pressed, and Owen boasted that he would meet his enemy in the field. Nevertheless, in May 1403 Henry of Monmouth was allowed to sack Sycharth and Glyndyvrdwy unopposed. Owen had a greater plot in hand. The Percies were to rise in arms, and meeting Owen at Shrewsbury , overwhelm the prince before help could arrive.

But Owen's share in the undertaking miscarried through his own defeat near Carmarthen on the 12th of July, and Percy was crushed at Shrewsbury ten days later. Still the Welsh revolt was never so formidable. Owen styled himself openly prince of Wales, established a regular government, and called a parliament at Machynlleth. As a result of a formal alliance the French sent troops to his aid, and in the course of 1404 the great castles of Harlech and Aberystwith fell into his hands. In the spring of 1405 Owen was at the height of his power; but the tide turned suddenly. Prince Henry defeated the Welsh at Grosmont in March, and twice again in May, when Owen's son Griffith and his chancellor were made prisoners. Scrope 's rebellion in the North prevented the English from following up their success. The Earl of Northumberland took refuge in Wales, and the tripartite alliance of Owen with Percy and Mortimer (transferred by Shakespeare to an earlier occasion) threatened a renewal of danger. But Northumberland's plots and the active help of the French proved ineffective.

The English under Prince Henry gained ground steadily, and the recovery of Aberystwith, after a long siege, in the autumn of 1408 marked the end of serious warfare. In February 1409 Harlech was also recaptured, and Owen's wife, daughter and grandchildren were taken prisoners. Owen himself still held out and even continued to intrigue with the French. In July 1415 Gilbert Talbot had power to treat with Owen and his supporters and admit them to pardon. Owen's name does not occur in the document renewing Talbot's powers in February 1416; according to Adam of Usk he died in 1415. Later English writers allege that he died of starvation in the mountains; but Welsh legend represents him as spending a peaceful old age with his sons-in-law at Ewyas and Monington in Herefordshire, till his death and burial at the latter place. The dream of an independent and united Wales was never nearer realization than under Owen's leadership. The disturbed state of England helped him, but he was indeed a remarkable personality, and has not undeservedly become a national hero.

Sentiment and tradition have magnified his achievements, and confused his career with tales of portents and magical powers. Owen left many bastard children; his legitimate representative in 1433 was his daughter Alice, wife of Sir John Scudamore of Ewyas. (C. L. Kingsford) Encyclopedia Britannica, 11th Ed. Vol XXI. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1910. 136. Other Local Resources: BBC - History - Historic Figures: Owain Glyn Dwr (c.1355 - c.1415) z Owain Glyn Dwr © Owain Glyn Dwr (anglicised as Owen Glendower) led a Welsh revolt against the English crown between 1400 and 1409 and was the last to claim the title of independent prince of Wales. Owain Glyn Dwr was born around the 1350s into an Anglo-Welsh gentry family. His estates provided him with a modest power base in north-east Wales. Glyn Dwr was educated in England, joining the English army and taking part in an invasion of Scotland.

He then retired to his estates in Wales. In 1399, against the backdrop of Richard II's overthrow by Henry Bolingbroke in England, Glyn Dwr's long-running land dispute with his neighbour, Reginald de Grey, escalated into rebellion. Glyn Dwr proclaimed himself prince of Wales in September 1400. There followed several fierce attacks by Glyn Dwr supporters on English border towns, and a more general outbreak of rebellion in north-west Wales. The English were galvanised into action, and Henry IV arrived to lead a successful campaign against the rebels - although Glyn Dwr was never captured. Over the next few years punitive measures were enacted to keep control of Wales, but these were matched by many acts of Welsh rebellion - among them the capture of Conwy Castle in April 1401. In June 1402, at the Battle of Pilleth on Bryn Glas Hill, Glyn Dwr led his troops to victory over an English army led by Edmund Mortimer. By now Glyn Dwr was leading a national revolt.

In 1404 a French expeditionary force landed at Milford Haven, and joined with the Welsh to march towards Worcester, capturing several important castles as they went. Before long, however, the English started to regain control of Wales, and support for the revolt faded. By 1408, the rebellion had reverted to a guerrilla war. Glyn Dwr was now a leader on the run, and he is last mentioned in government records - where terms are offered for his surrender - in February 1416. It is thought that by this time he was already dead.

Question: Welsh leader Owen Glendower rebelled against which English king?
Answer: HENRY IV